What is the situation of hunger in Maryland?
Mathematica Policy Research (MPR) has released 227 page report Hunger in America 2006: State Report Prepared for Maryland. MPR defines “food insecurity” as “limited or uncertain availability of nutritionally adequate foods.” In Maryland, 357,400 seek emergency food annually; 72,100 in any given week. Nationally, hunger has increased from 21.4 million in 1997 to 25.35 million in 2006. In the Baltimore metropolitan area, there are more than 175 emergency food providers (food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters), according to the Maryland Food Bank. The Bentley Pantry is fairly unique with its independence as 77% of pantries are church-affiliated. According to the study, which is based on surveys of food banks, 77% of the households served by Maryland’s charitable food providers (pantries, soup kitchens, shelters) are food insecure. Among households with children under the age of 18, 81 percent are food insecure, or at risk of hunger. 48 percent of these households include at least one empl
